Barbara Kendall

The announcement today that Barbara Kendall (40) is one of six sailors inducted into the ISAF Hall of Fame is a huge honour for her and New Zealand sailing, and is fitting recognition for a top competitor who is an absolute star of the sport. The fact that she has a very successful sailing career, in a very physical class where her life has spanned that of the archetype footloose and single windsurfer girl, to that of a mother of two children – without missing an Olympics in between, is an outstanding achievement in itself, and a real example to others.

Racing took place in 5-8 knots of breeze and temperatures in the high twenties in China yesterday at the Qingdao International Regatta. With some medal races set to take place today, and remaining classes for tomorrow, all of the New Zealand team has either confirmed or is likely to confirm a medal race place.

New Zealand is leading the Star and Laser Radial fleets at the Pre-Olympics Regatta in Qingdao, China and holding 2nd in the Laser and Men’s RS:X.

The wind was light, taking a long time to settle at around 5 knots which delayed the start on Monday until after 3pm. Many fleets sailed just one race, while the RS:X board-sailors suffered yet another day of cancelled racing.

The Qingdao International Regatta suffered a third day of cancelled racing due to a lack of wind on Sunday. Overall standings remain the same as sailors wait for wind to appear and racing to resume at the Olympic sailing venue.

Qingdao, China produced just enough wind for a second day of racing at the Pre-Olympics regatta. Amongst the seven kiwi representatives the team is currently holding 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th placings.

Jo Aleh, Andrew Murdoch, Tom Ashley and Hamish Pepper were the stand-outs on Saturday in the kiwi team, mastering the light conditions.

The RS:X sailors had their work cut out for them trying to keep their balance in the swells. The Chinese are in third in both the RS:X Men and RS:X Women?s classes. Yuan Guo Zhou (CHN) opened the regatta with a victory for the Chinese team. Yuan Gou stole the show with a 38-second lead around the first mark in the men?s division and was able to maintain it around the entire trapezoidal course. Yuan Guo finished sixth in the second race. Tom Ashley (NZL) sits atop the leaderboard with a 3,2 for the series so far.

Racing kicks off today in China at the Qingdao International Regatta known as the Pre-Olympics. The regatta which runs over nine days is an Olympic test event one year out from the 2008 Olympics Games. New Zealand is represented by nine sailors in seven of the Olympic classes. The kiwi team includes…

A team of nine New Zealand Olympic sailors are on their way to Qingdao, China for the start of the 2007 Qingdao International Regatta known as the Pre-Olympics. Racing starts just over one week from now on Wednesday 15 August and is scheduled to conclude nine days following that.

For the kiwis this is a ‘dress rehearsal’ for the 2008 Olympic Games giving them the opportunity to experience the venue and sample the conditions under which the New Zealand team will sail in August next year.